The Beholder
by protejerinnocencia
Summary: A rogue is on the loose in LA. He tried to handle it without her finding out but in the end he is left with no choice but to admit the truth.
1. Burned to a Crisp

**Burned to a Crisp**

The scene wasn't pretty when she climbed out of her car, cameraman right behind her. It was dark and poorly lit. She felt a shiver run up her spine as they approached the body. She couldn't really see much of it as it was obscured by a sheet.

"Can you get closer?" her cameraman asked. She inched a few steps to her left.

"Is that good?" she asked. He nodded and noised the camera on his shoulder. She took a deep breath and held the microphone up in front of her.

"Good evening. This is Beth Turner reporting live from BuzzWire," she began.

"Tonight we bring you the most recent discovery in a string of brutal and bizarre murders. The police have not confirmed if it is a serial killer or not but they are sure they are onto something," she continued.

"As more develops we will keep you updated. Thank. This Beth Turner for BuzzWire," she concluded and heaved a sigh. She still wasn't used to reporting live like this. And to be honest, after what she'd reported last time, she was still rather freaked out. Her cameraman busied himself with putting the equipment away and she looked around, expecting Mick to show up. He wasn't there and a part of her was sad about that.

"Hey Carl. Do you know anything new?" Beth asked, catching the detective by the arm. He let out a sigh.

"No, Beth. Nothing new. Just the same MO as the last victim. Burned alive and decapitate," he answered. Beth tried to keep her gag reflex in check as Carl peered down at the body, or what was left of it.

"Oh…oh God," Beth gasped, stumbling back a few steps from the charred mass at her feet.

"Still no sign of the head lieutenant," one of the other officers called.

"Was…was the head cut off before the body was burned?" Beth stammered.

"We don't know, "Carl answered.

"Look Beth, I know you want your story but please, you need to step away from the body," he said. She nodded and walked back to the car. She climbed into the passenger seat and they headed back to BuzzWire.

On the other side of town, Mick sat in his apartment, staring at the webpage before him. Beth's latest video had just been uploaded to the web. He watched it, his eyes taking in the background behind her. It was dimly lit and out of the way but still somewhere someone would notice the body. He got a glimpse of the body and shivered. He would need to see the body himself to determine if his suspicions were true or not. The first body didn't raise alarm in his mind. But this did. Two bodies turning up in this manner was another. He closed the browser and grabbed his keys. Ten minutes later he walked into the morgue and ran into Guillermo.

"Do you have the body the cops just found?" Mick asked.

"Yeah…it's….you're just have to see it for yourself," he answered and led Mick into the next room. He uncovered the body and Mick recoiled. He inhaled and was hit with the scent of vampire.

"It's definitely a vampire," Mick said softly.

"Yeah…and they must have pissed off someone real bad to decapitate and barbeque them," Guillermo commented with a shake of his head.

"Keep me updated if anything changes…like they find the head," Mick called as he sprinted from the room. His suspicions had been right, which meant the first body was most likely a vamp as well. With a determined stride he headed for Josef's penthouse. He grew impatient as security took their sweet time letting him in. When he finally reached the top of the building he found Josef sitting in an armchair sipping a glass of blood. The elder vampire looked up and set his class down.

"What can I do for you my friend?" he asked.

"I think we may have a rogue on our hands. That or a really pissed off human who knows we exist," Mick said. Josef just stared back at him. That was not was he was expecting to hear tonight.


	2. Worries and Findings

**Worries and Findings**

Josef just sat there for a minute without speaking. Why was the news so suddenly filled with vampires? He had to admit, and he knew Mick was aware that it made Josef edgy. He finally cleared his throat and stood up to face Mick. Mick waited patiently for his friend to make some kind of comment on the situation.

"What exactly are you basing these accusations on?" Josef asked.

"I've seen the body, Josef. It was a vampire…or what's left of one," Mick replied.

"Burned and beheaded. I'd have to agree with you. Someone is pretty angry," Josef muttered.

"I couldn't get any hits as to what happened or who might have done it," Mick said offhandedly. Josef merely nodded.

"The body was probably too badly mutilated to tell," Josef said.

"You haven't heard any…grumblings about some sort of rebellion have you?" Mick finally asked.

"My friend, we are long past rebellions and societal upheaval. This isn't the nineteenth century anymore," Josef answered with a small laugh.

"Just keep an ear out ok," Mick sighed and headed for the door.

"Mick," Josef called. Mick stopped walking and turned around.

"Keep an eye on our intrepid reporter. We don't want her stumbling over anything too…messy," he stated, choosing his words with care. Mick just inclined his head and headed downstairs.

He sat in his car for a while, not going anywhere. His mind was on Beth. So much had happened between them and she barely remembered most of it. He knew when she grabbed hold of a story, she didn't let go and in this case, that was going to be a very dangerous thing. Certainly the last story she'd gotten her hands on had been dangerous but this…this really could be a vampire's doing. After staring up at the building in front of him for a few more minutes, he shoved the keys in the ignition and headed home. Just as he rounded the corner to his apartment, he nearly collided with someone.

"Sorry," he said, extending a hand.

"It's ok," Beth said, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

"Beth…what are you doing here?" Mick asked. They hadn't seen each other since she'd been attacked.

"I…was sort of hoping I could run a theory by you…for my story. Maybe get a little private investigator insight," she answered. He let out a breath.

"Sure, come on in," Mick said and unlocked the front door. He crossed the threshold and did a quick scan of the place. It appeared that nothing was lying around that would give his secret away.

"Have a seat," he said. She sat down in one of the chairs. He sat down across from her.

"I…I have this story…a couple of bodies have turned up pretty mutilated," she began, unsure of how much she needed to tell him.

"I saw the reports on BuzzWire," Mick informed her and that seemed to make her a little more comfortable.

"Who would do something like that to another person?" she asked.

"Probably someone who is pretty pissed off," Mick answered, leaning back in his chair.

"So…do you think the police will find the heads?" she pressed. He let out an uneasy laugh.

"I…don't know," he answered.

"You said you wanted my help? What exactly did you need?" he asked.

"Oh…well I just thought maybe…you could look around…see if you find anything. Thought not much we can really do until the bodies are identified," she rambled.

"I'll see what I can do," he told her and stood up. She followed suit and he led her to the door.

"How are you doing?" he blurted.

"What?" she asked, caught off guard.

"The grad student attack…" he trailed off.

"Oh…I'm doing ok," she murmured.

"Good," he said. They stood in awkward silence for a minute before she opened the door and started to walk out.

"I'll uh…call you if I find anything," he said.

"Great…I'll be waiting," she called as she walked down the hallway and turned out of sight. Mick let out a slow breath. He needed to see the scene. If he couldn't get a hit off the body, maybe he would have better luck elsewhere. He headed for the kitchen to pour himself a glass of blood before heading out.

Twenty minutes later he had pulled up to the scene. It was still barricaded off which seemed strange to him. He ducked beneath the tape and went to stand over where the body had been. The ground w as charred black and Mick felt a shiver run up his spine. He knelt down over the patch to examine it more closely. There was a large pool of curdled blood above the char. He closed his eyes and inhaled as deeply as he could. He was hit with a vaguely displayed turn of events.

_A young man stood facing a hooded figure. Neither spoke until the hooded figure lifted its left hand, driving a stake into the man's chest. He fell to his knees, paralyzed. The next thing he knew, the young man was on his back and the figure had lit a match, bending down to light the fire at the soles of his feet. The man tired to scream but the stake kept him silent. Flames crept up his body until they had reached his stomach. The figure tore the wood from the man's chest, allowing pain and anguish to pass his vocal chords._

"_Please," he begged but was silenced as a blade swung down, cleaving head from burning body._

Mick fell backwards as he came to. He couldn't tell whether the attacker was vamp or human but at the moment he was just trying to get the images out of his head. He'd never seen something so brutal, not since he was turned. His mind momentarily flitted back to Coraline. Her death had been humane compared this. What he'd seen answered one of Beth's questions. The head had been cut off before the fire had a chance to reach it.

He needed to find the head. He sat back on his heels and thought. Mick slowly stood up, his enhanced vision picking up droplets of dried blood on the ground, leading away from where the body had been found. They stopped at a dumpster.

"How convenient," he muttered. As quietly as he could he lifted the lid of the dumpster up, peering inside. He was hit with the smell first. There was definitely vampire blood in there. Taking a step back, he pulled out his phone. He knew Beth wouldn't be happy if he didn't let her in on the discovery, even though at the moment he would have preferred she not see this. The phone rang several times before it was answered.

"Beth Turner," she said on the other end.

"Beth, it's Mick. I think I found something," he said.

"Great…where are you?" she asked. He could hear her grabbing coat and keys in the background.

"I'm at the crime scene," he told her.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," she replied and hung up. He closed his phone and waited, the scent still filling his nostrils. He had to keep himself from looking into the bin. He knew what he'd find and that made him anxious. If he had indeed found the head, then maybe he could figure out who had killed him. Beth finally arrived and he heaved a sigh. He waved her over and she set her purse down on the ground. Mick looked around to make sure they were still alone.

"What is that smell?" she asked.

"Blood," he answered. She cringed as she slowly stepped closer. Mick reached a hand in and began to root through bags of garbage.

"Be careful," she said. He nodded as he continued to hunt. His hand finally grazed something that felt like flesh. He stepped up on the edge of the dumpster to get a better angle. He'd indeed found a head. Mick slowly wrestled it out from between two pizza boxes and started to step back.

"What…is that?" Beth gasped as the head came into view.

"I'm pretty sure it's the victim's head," Mick replied, holding it by the hair. The neck portion was still bloody.

"Oh…oh my God," she rasped, trying not to vomit.

"I guess we know which came first," Mick commented. Beth did not find it funny. Mick cleared his throat and took on a serious tone.

"You might want to call Lieutenant Davis," Mick suggested.

"And tell him what? I was snooping around a crime scene illegally and just happened too find the missing head?" she hissed.

"Just…call him," Mick repeated. Beth stepped back and opened her phone. Mick held the head at a distance, fighting the alluring smell of blood. This had been one of his own, a fellow vamp. He looked over his shoulder to see the sun slowly beginning to rise over the horizon. He would need to get home and get some rest before he could do much else.

"He's on his way," Beth said.


	3. Heading in the Right Direction

**Heading in the Right Direction**

Twenty minutes later, Carl arrived, trying to park his car and climb out of it at the same time. By this point Beth was standing a fair distance away from Mick. The smell was getting to her. He had finally set it down on top of some cardboard boxes. Mick figured it would appear too suspicious if Carl showed up and he was still holding it.

"Do I want to know why you two are here?" Carl asked, arms crossed over his chest as he approached them.

"I know it looks…bad but we were just following a hunch," Beth said. Carl looked over at Mick.

"A hunch that involves a private investigator who has nothing to do with the case?" Carl asked.

"I'm just trying to help," Mick answered.

"What exactly did you find?" Carl sighed. Mick cleared his throat and stepped away, revealing the severed head. Carl ha to choke back the urge the vomit.

"What makes you think this is the victim's head?" Carl demanded, bending down to examine it while trying not to breathe. Mick cleared his throat and pulled out a flashlight. He clicked it on and pointed it over at the spot where the body had been found.

"I followed the blood trail," Mick explained, guiding the light along the small path of blood leading to the dumpster.

Carl ran a hand over his face. Mick took the chance to glance over at the rising sun. He really needed to get home and hit the icebox. He had a feeling he was going to be up early and needed some rest.

"Look…I'm going to overlook the fact that you were on a secured crime scene," Carl finally said, standing up. He headed for his car and Beth gave Mick a small smile. It was certainly going to help her story. The lieutenant returned with an evidence bag and gingerly picked the head up and put it in the bag.

"Now get out of here before I change my mind," he ordered before driving off. Mick and Beth just stood there for a minute.

'Thanks for doing this for me," Beth said. Mick nodded, heading for his own car.

"You should get some sleep," he told her as he climbed in and shut the door. She just gave him a smile and headed for her own car. Mick pulled away from the alley and sped up the street, whizzing along the unoccupied streets of Los Angeles. He reached his apartment and cut the engine. The sun was closer to creeping over the top of the skyline now and he got inside just as the first rays shone into the building. He trudged up the stairs and bypassed the kitchen. He'd get a drink later. Right now he needed sleep. He disrobed and climbed into the freezer, slowly shutting the top above him. He inhaled, enjoying the feeling of the cold on his skin. He closed his eyes and his thoughts filled once more with Beth. He hoped she wouldn't get herself in too deep with this case.

Across town, Beth was sitting in her car outside her own apartment complex. She knew she should get some sleep. But the reporter in her was begging to go back to work and see if she could find the other missing head. If she found it, maybe Carl would let her in on any suspected leads. It was a bit of a long shot but he did owe her. Unsuccessfully stifling a yawn, she gave in to her heavily lidded eyes and pulled into her parking spot. She walked upstairs and nearly collapsed in bed. She hadn't realized how tired she was. She curled up with a pillow and was asleep in minutes.

Beth's alarm sounded several hours later and she groaned, rolling over to smack it. She missed it the first time and had to get out of bed to successfully subdue the blaring device. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and headed for the bathroom. As he let the warm water cascade over her body, she remembered her thoughts from earlier. She was sure Mo wouldn't mind her going out on assignment. Half an hour later, she walked into BuzzWire and sat down at her desk. She booted up her computer and sipped her coffee. She heard footsteps walk up behind her and Beth slowly turned around.

"Morning," she greeted her boss.

"That story last night, people are just eating it up. Keep it up," she said.

"Thanks…I think I'm going to go back and recheck the first scene. You know…to see if there are any more bits that connect the two," Beth rambled, hoping Mo would buy it.

"Whatever brings me in more hits," Mo laughed and walked away. Beth let out a sigh as she clicked through her notes and the video of the other night to see if she remembered where it was. After a few minutes looking and listening she got the address and grabbed her keys, heading out to her car. At the morgue, Mick was waiting for Guillermo to finish up with a grieving family. He gave them a sympathetic glance as he passed them.

"I thought you'd be back," Guillermo said.

"I guess you got the head?" Mick asked and the other vampire nodded.

"Yeah…this morning…and you want to know who he is," Guillermo said with a laugh.

"I want to know if the head belongs to the body they found," Mick corrected him.

"Yes…it does. I tried to run any sort of tissue sample from the body. I got a little piece off the back. The head is a match," he explained.

"No idea who he is though?" Mick pressed.

"Afraid not," Guillermo replied.

"Thanks," Mick said and headed out. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with this information since he didn't have the identity of the victim. He also didn't know the identity of the first victim. He headed home to check the address of the first scene. He wasn't surprised to find Beth's car there when he pulled up. Luckily this scene had been released yesterday morning. However, Mick figured the cops would be back once they realized the two cases were connected. Mick donned his sunglasses and crouched over the still fresh char marks. He inhaled and was hit with a very similar ending, this time for a young woman. Whoever this guy was had a real problem with vampires. This time he could tell that the attacker was a vampire.

"Sick," Mick muttered to himself; someone hunting their own kind. He followed an almost identical blood trail too a group of trash cans.

"Should I be surprised you're here?" Mick called, making Beth jump.

'Don't do that," she gasped.

"Sorry," he apologized, joining her.

"Find anything?" he asked.

"No. But I'm guessing you had the same idea I did," she answered.

"Seems that way," Mick said with a smirk. He took a deep breath and was hit with the scent of blood. It wasn't fresh but it was blood nonetheless. He pulled out a cloth and began to root through the garbage can in front of Beth. He was glad he'd remembered the cloth. He had to dig through a lot more unpleasant things here. After searching for a good five minutes he finally found the head, sitting at the bottom of the can.

"Got it," he said, pulling it out.

"This guy is sick," Beth rasped.

"Whoever they are, they pissed off their attacker…" Mick murmured. Beth stepped back and pulled out her cell phone.

"Whoa re you calling?" he asked.

"Carl," she answered shortly. Mick set the head down and watched her.

"Carl…it's Beth…" she began but was silenced.

"Ok…no I'm not going anywhere," she said and hung up. His squad car arrived a lot faster than he had hours before. He climbed out and let out a groan.

"I let the last time slide but this…are you trying to interfere with an ongoing investigation?" he asked.

"Technically this scene was released. We're not trespassing anything," Mick corrected him.

"And we're not interfering, Carl. We're helping," Beth added.

"I know you want your story Beth but you can't just keep doing this," Carl hissed.

"I swear…just…tell me if you have any leads," Beth said.

"Beth you know I can't do that," Carl spat.

"Come on, Carl. You owe me. I helped you find the missing heads," Beth pleaded. He let out a slow breath. He didn't like having her holding things over him. But she had a point. They had more evidence than if Beth hadn't gone snooping around.

"Alright, fine," Carl finally agreed. Beth smiled broadly just as Mick's phone began to ring. He tried to ignore but it kept getting louder and he had to take the call.

"Excuse me," he said, stepping some distance away and answering it.

"Mick St John," he said.

"It's Josef. We have a problem," Josef said from the other end.


	4. The Old Aren't Always Wise

**The Old Aren't Always Wise**

"What kind of problem?" Mick asked.

"A very large problem," Josef answered.

"I'll be right there," Mick said, ending the call. He walked back over to Carl and Beth.

"I have to go. Keep me posted," he said and headed for his car. He was grateful to be in the car, somewhat out of the sun. Whatever Josef's problem was, it had been be dire. The older vampire knew how much Mick disliked be out in the daytime. Mick buckled his seatbelt and drove off in the direction of Josef's penthouse. Beth watched him go and bit her lower lip. She wasn't sure what she was going to do next. She looked over at Carl.

"I hope I haven't messed up your investigation too much," she mumbled. He shook his head.

"Well the trash and the dumpster were public property so we would have probable cause to search them so I don't think defense would try to throw the evidence out," Carl said. Beth felt a little relieved.

"I have to get back to the station," he added and headed back to his car. Beth stood there by herself for a minute before leaving the scene too. She knew she didn't have any real work to do at BuzzWire so she headed over to the DAs office. Maybe she could pull Josh away for an early lunch. She sat in traffic for a good ten minutes before finally pulling into the parking garage. She grabbed a spot on the second level and got out. She walked over to the elevator and took it up two floors. She stopped at the secretary's desk to make sure Josh wasn't in a meeting.

"Hi Beth," the secretary said, looking up from her computer screen.

"Hey…is Josh busy?" Beth asked. The secretary leaned back and shook her head.

"His door is open. I don't think he has any meetings until this afternoon," she said.

"Thanks," Beth said and headed back. She knocked on the doorframe to get his attention. He looked up and waved her in. She walked in and shut the door halfway.

"What's up?" Josh asked, standing up to give her a hug and quick kiss.

"Just taking a break from work. I was thinking maybe we could do an early lunch," she answered. He looked down at his desk calendar.

"Sure," he answered. She smiled at him as he pulled his jacket from the back of his chair, sending it spinning in circles a couple of times.

They joined hands and headed out of the office and back to the garage. They took her car and cruised along the highway. They pulled off at a small diner and waited for a table. Finally the hostess led them to a booth on the west wall. They sat opposite each other and took the menus.

"So how's that new story going?" Josh asked as he browsed the menu. She turned a page before answering.

"It's gong ok. Nothing much else to report. The cops think they connected the two victims as having the same killer," she explained as the waitress brought them glasses of water.

"Pretty brutal murders," Josh said, taking a sip of water.

"Yeah…pretty gross. So, what is the DAs stance on it? How would you try the case?" Beth probed.

"I can't really answer that, Beth. You know that," Josh countered.

"Oh come on. The killer is still at large. So you don't have an active case against them. It's just hypothetical," she replied.

"I'd seek the death penalty. The evidence is overwhelming from what I've seen on the news," Josh answered after a minute.

"What about linking the murderer to the victims? He didn't leave any prints at either of the scenes," Beth challenged.

"I thought this was just hypothetical," Josh countered. Beth gave a small smirk and lowered her head.

"Ok….fine. You win," she muttered as the waitress returned to take their orders. Once she'd left, Josh leaned in closer.

"So have you seen that private investigator?" he asked.

"Mick?" Beth answered and Josh nodded. He looked a little uneasy that she said his name with such ease.

"Yeah…he's helping me with the story," Beth answered.

"Last time he helped you, you almost got killed," Josh remarked.

"That wasn't his fault, Josh. It was mine. And he saved me," Beth countered.

"It just makes me nervous that's all," Josh said as their meals arrived.

"I'm fine, I promise," Beth said, taking his hand in hers. He gave her a forced smile but gave her hand a squeeze back.

Over at Josef's penthouse, Mick was still arguing with security downstairs. He was starting to get irritated. He needed a drink and they were keeping him from it.

"Look, Josef just called me. No move," Mick spat, trying to muscle his way past them but they weren't going to let him go that easily. Finally Josef peered down over the banister.

"Let him up," he called. The two guards looked up him.

"And next time boys, don't bother him," he added as Mick passed between them. Mick jogged up the stairs and joined Josef.

"Where did you find those guys?" Mick asked.

"They're not mine," Josef answered.

"Yeah I figured that out," Mick retorted.

"So what is the big problem?" he pressed.

"Care for a drink?" Josef asked, changing the subject as a young woman walked by.

"Yeah…got anything not walking around?" Mick answered. Josef just shook his head.

"I'll have to see. I'm telling you my friend, you need to let your inner vampire come out to play," Josef sighed, leading his friend towards the kitchen. Lucky for Mick, Josef had some on tap and handed him a glass.

"So back to this problem?" Mick asked after taking a drink. Josef looked solemn and walked away without saying a word. Mick followed him into the lounge area. Sitting on couches and chairs were a group of vampires that Mick did not recognize. One of them stood up as Josef entered.

"This is my associate, Mick St John," Josef explained to the man who had just stood up.

"Mick, this is Jacob, an old acquaintance of mine," Josef said to Mick.

"Nice to meet you," Mick said, shaking Jacob's hand.

"How is he going to help?" Jacob asked, looking at Josef as if Mick had never spoken.

"Mick is a private investigator," Josef answered and turned to Mick. Mick could tell Josef was not happy to have all of these guests in his home.

"Jacob is visiting from Chicago and several of his children have gone missing," Josef said, choosing his words carefully. Mick picked up on it immediately and pulled his phone from his pocket. He'd been smart enough to snap pictures of the heads. He brought up the first head they'd found.

"Do you recognize this man?" Mick asked, handing the phone over the Jacob.

"William," Jacob muttered. Mick hit the arrow button and it scrolled to the next image.

"And Johanna. I was afraid of this. Where did you get these pictures?" Jacob asked.

"I took them when I found them," Mick said, unsure how much information he should share.

"Where?" Jacob pressed.

"How closely have you followed the news?" Mick asked. Jacob looked over at Josef. Mick took that to mean he hadn't followed it at all.

"LAPD found two bodies in the last two days. Both were in remote locations, the bodies burned," Mick began.

"And decapitated," Jacob finished and Mick nodded.

"You know anyone who would do that?" Josef asked. Mick couldn't help but think that Josef really didn't like Jacob.

"I may," Jacob answered, looking over at the rest of the group gathered around him.

"I want you all to be careful. Go out in pairs if you have to," he ordered.

"If you know who did this you need to tell me. Because I get the feeling he's not going to stop," Mick demanded.

"His name is Adrian…one of my own. But I'm afraid he has strayed," Jacob said, sounding like he was talking about a disobedient dog.

""Where can I find him," Mick asked. If he could find this Adrian guy then maybe he could get him to stop before anyone else got hurt.

"I don't know," Jacob replied.

"If it comes to you, call me," Mick said, thrusting his card into Jacob's hand and walking away. Josef was at his side almost instantly.

"An old acquaintance of yours huh?" Mick muttered.

"There's a reason I said acquaintance and not friend, Mick. Jacob may be rude and power hungry but he is one of the oldest vampires in Chicago. His family is huge," Josef whispered.

"And why did you let him stay here?" Mick pressed.

"Because he needs it. If one of his own is going on a rampage this violent, I can only imagine that it's to get to Jacob. He'll be safer here," Josef answered.

"Well it sounds to me like he made a mistake with this guy. I guess age doesn't always bring wisdom," Mick said and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Josef called.

"To find Adrian before he attacks anyone else," Mick said.

"You're going to see your reporter friend. Just be careful what you tell her," Josef said as Mick disappeared down the stairs.


	5. Beauty and the Beast

**Beauty and the Beast**

Just as Mick reached the bottom of the stairs he felt a presence behind him. He turned around to see one of the other vampires standing there.

"Can I help you?" Mick asked, sounding annoyed. The young man pulled something from his pocket and handed it to Mick.

"So you know what he looks like," he said.

"What's your name?" Mick asked.

"Gregory," he answered.

"When was this taken?" Mick questioned, moving out of earshot of the security guards.

"Three years ago," Gregory answered.

"He's got a lot of anger for a vampire so young," Mick muttered.

"Adrian's not all that young. He's seventy seven," Gregory corrected.

"Look…not to sound disrespectful but Jacob doesn't really trust you. I just want you to be aware…if Adrian is coming for Jacob…I think he's got what's coming," Gregory whispered.

"Why?" Mick pressed. Gregory swallowed and looked around, feeling uneasy.

"Three years Arian came back to Chicago and…Jacob was pissed off…that he left. So in retaliating he killed Rosslyn….Adrian's wife," Gregory explained. Mick nodded. The brutality of the murders made sense.

"He was married? Was she…" he began to ask but Gregory filled the rest in.

"A vampire. She was one of Jacob's too," he answered.

"I can see why Adrian is pissed off," Mick commented.

"I hate to say it…but William deserved it too. He made Adrian's life hell. Killed his younger sister," Gregory added. Mick extended his hand and Gregory shook it.

"Thank you. You've been really helpful," Mick said and headed for his car, shielding himself from the sun with the picture. He climbed into his car and looked at the picture more closely. He was young when he had been turned. Even in the picture though, Mick could see sorrow and pain in the young man's eyes. He let out a sigh and put the picture on the passenger seat. As he drove off he could see Josef looking at him from the balcony.

The first thing he did when he got home was take a shower. For some reason the sun today had made him extremely tired. The water rejuvenated him and he let it beat down on his shoulders for a few extra minutes. He needed a clear head for this. Once he had dressed he sat down at his computer and looked around. It didn't do much good to have a picture of Adrian and not have a starting point for his search. Letting out a breath he tapped his fingers on the edge of the desk for a minute. Suddenly he was hit with an idea, he searched through the last few BuzzWire articles and copied the addresses of the two scenes into Google Earth. He pulled up the aerial view and a small smile spread onto his lips. He moved the mouse so that the cursor hovered over a building between the two points that designated the crime scenes. A little bubble popped informing him that the building was a motel. It made sense. The dump sites were fairly equidistant from his base of operations. He jotted down the address on the back of the picture. He assumed Gregory wouldn't want the picture back when all of this was over. Just as he was about to head out, his phone began to ring. He picked it up and the display read "Beth Turner". He hit the send button to begin the call.

"Mick. It's Beth," Beth said.

"Hi," Mick said, stopping at the door to his apartment.

"Is everything ok? You left in a hurry earlier," she said, sounding concerned.

"Everything is fine," Mick lied. He hated to lie to her but he knew he needed to keep his secret and that meant not filling her in on where he'd been and what information she'd gotten.

"I was thinking…is there a central place near both scenes where the killer could be hiding," she said. Mick began to walk out the door now. He had to smile to himself. She was good at what she did.

"So I went online and looked and there is a motel between them," she continued.

"I know. I'm headed there now," Mick said.

"I'll go with you," she said.

"I think it's better if you don't," Mick tried to protest.

"I'm going with you. I'll be waiting downstairs," she said and hung up. Mick let out a sigh and walked as quickly as he could downstairs. He would need to keep her in the car if he could. He didn't want her seeing his confrontation with Adrian. Still, he pulled up to her apartment building some fifteen minutes later. She spotted his car and walked over, climbing into the passenger seat without a word.

"So what are we going to do once we get there?" she asked. Mick backed out and headed in the direction of the motel.

"I have a lead," he answered.

"Did you let Carl know?" Beth asked.

"No. I want to be sure it's viable first," Mick muttered.

"Well how do you know what he looks like?" Beth pressed. Mick handed her the picture.

"That's the killer?" she laughed.

"It could be," Mick answered. He accelerated down the highway and pulled a sharp left into the motel parking lot. He pulled into a vacant spot and cut the engine.

"Stay here," he said, taking the picture back.

"Where are you going?" she hissed. He pointed to the lobby and she nodded, sinking out of view as best she could. Mick pulled the front door open, walking up the counter.

"Can I help you?" the man behind the desk asked.

"Did this guy check in here in the last few days?" Mick asked, holding up the picture.

"You a cop or something?" he asked. Mick pulled his credentials out of his pocket and let the man examine them.

"Yeah…room 204. It's around the corner," he answered, pointing to Mick's right.

"Thank you," Mick said and walked out. He returned to the car and didn't bother putting his seatbelt on. He started the car again and rounded the corner. He saw 204 and stopped.

"That's his room?" Beth whispered. Mick nodded just as the door opened and a hooded figure walked out.

"Get down," Mick ordered and they both ducked out of view. They heard a car door open and close. Mick peered over the edge of the door to see a car pull out of the parking lot. Mick sat up and pulled his seatbelt on and made to follow, making sure to keep his headlights off.

Mick followed the other car through the city until they hit a very familiar part of the city. Mick felt an uneasiness filling his gut when the car stopped and the figure climbed out. Mick stopped his car and watched. He looked up and that uneasiness sunk to the pit of his stomach. He must have paled because Beth placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"Are you ok?" she asked. Mick looked over at her, slightly startled. He unbuckled his seatbelt and made to open the door. Beth started to follow suit.

"Stay in the car. Just…stay here," Mick ordered and headed for the entrance to the penthouse. He wasn't surprised to see the two guards from before lying unconscious on the ground. At least they were still alive. Mick quietly made his way up the stairs. At first it was quiet. It was early evening now and so a lot of the Chicago vampires would be out and about. But he had a feeling given the circumstances that Jacob was most definitely here.

Mick inhaled and was hit with the unmistakable scent of vampire. It was then that he heard the commotion to his left. He moved quickly to the source of the noise. He saw Jacob sitting in a large wing back chair, Adrian standing in front of him. Where the hell was Josef? Mick knew he had to do something or else Jacob would end up like the others and there was a very good chance Josef could be falsely charged. Mick finally stepped into the room. Adrian spun around, gun in hand.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Put the gun down," Mick said, hands held out in front of him in a peaceful manner.

"This isn't any of your business," Adrian shot.

"You've got bodies piling up Adrian. It's only a matter of time before he cops figure out you were the one who killed them. I can help you but you need to put the gun down," Mick replied.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. You have no idea what he's done," Adrian hissed.

"I do know what he did," Mick countered. He could see Adrian's patience thinning rapidly and had to duck to avoid being hit when the younger man squeezed the trigger. Mick watched the bullets whiz by, embedding themselves in the wall. He was pretty sure they were silver.

Down in the car, Beth heard the shots ring out. There was no way she was going to stay in the car. She unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped out of the car. She raced up the stairs, not even bothering to check if the two men lying on the ground were alive or not. She stopped in the front hall and listened. She rounded the corner, following the noise, when she saw Mick's expression change. His eyes took on a yellowish glint and his canine teeth seemed to double in size.

"Mick," she stammered. He caught sight of her and stood still.


	6. Trial by Fire

**Trial by Fire**

Mick stared at Beth; taking in the shock and fear on her face and didn't realize Adrian was behind him until he felt the cold metal of gun collide with his skull. He stumbled forward and Beth let out a grasp. Mick knew he would have to explain a lot to her but right now he needed to keep her safe. He turned around and landed a punch to Adrian's jaw. Jacob just stayed where he was, watching the two younger vampires duke it out. Adrian had dropped the gun but managed to pick it up, leveling it at Mick's chest.

"This isn't your business," he repeated. Mick was trying to catch his breath and steady himself on his feet at the same time.

"I get that you really hate this guy. But you think killing him is going to solve all your problems?" Mick asked.

"He took everything from me," Adrian hissed, his hand starting to shake out of anger.

"You had to let go," Jacob said. Adrian's head spun around.

"Shut up!" he shouted, pointing the gun at his sire. Mick took the opportunity to address Beth.

"Get out of here," he ordered. She backed away slowly, her eyes still wide. She wasn't sure where to go but she knew she couldn't leave Mick there alone. She retreated to a half closed door and pushed it open. She gasped when she saw Josef lying there unconscious.

In the other room Adrian had forgotten about Mick for the moment. He was focused entirely on the man before him. Jacob didn't move a muscle. He just stared at the young man before him.

"You…had no right," Adrian began. He could feel all of the emotion he'd kept inside since Rosslyn's death welling up within him. It was time to let it out.

"I never wanted this. All you do is take. First….you took my life from me. I was twenty years old! I had a whole lifetime ahead of me. But you…you didn't care about any of that did you!" he shouted. Jacob opened his mouth to speak but Adrian shook his head.

"I'm not finished," he hissed. He walked a few steps closer, his finger tapping the trigger of the gun.

"Then…you took my sister from me. You knew how much she meant to me. She was innocent….a child. And you had her killed just so you could show me who was in charge…isn't that right?" he continued.

"Yes," Jacob replied.

"But you weren't in charge, Jacob. Because I left…and you couldn't touch me. I was happy too. I had people who cared about me. But then you had to take that too," he spat. By now his hand had grown sweaty with anger and his finger slipped, discharging the gun. Jacob gasped as the bullet pierced his shoulder.

"But you're going to pay for what you've done," Adrian said, his voice cold as he stood over his fallen sire.

"Is killing me going to make it go away?" Jacob coughed out.

"No…it won't," Adrian answered and stepped back. Mick had watched thee exchange in silence. Bur he needed to stop Adrian before he did something he'd regret.

"Then just let him go, Adrian. He's not worth it," Mick said. Adrian didn't respond. He reached over and broke the leg of a chair off. Mick's heart began to beat faster as realization hit him.

"No!" Mick called as Adrian pulled a lighter from his pocket. Adrian's gaze locked onto Jacob.

"You're done taking from me. You can't keep me away from them forever," he said as he opened the lighter, tilting the flame to the edge of the wood. It sparked and caught fire, the flames consuming it quickly. Both Mick and Jacob reached out but were too late. They watched in horror as he plunged the burning stake into his own heart. His body tensed and fell to the floor.

He didn't even scream as the fire began to lick his clothes and skin. Mick ran from the room and stumbled into the kitchen. He'd managed to calm down enough to return to his usual state. He began rooting through cabinets, slamming doors shut. The sounds drew Beth and a very groggy Josef.

"What are you doing?" Josef asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Where were you?" Mick shouted, finally finding a pitcher and filling it with water.

"Is that smoke?" Beth asked. Mick didn't answer. He just ran back into the other room. Beth and Josef followed and Beth couldn't help but let out a small scream. Adrian's body was starting to writhe on the floor despite the stake in his heart. Mick tossed the water on his body and the wood began to hiss as the flames went out. His body stopped moving and Mick bent down to pull the stake out. He dropped it, his palm stinging with pain.

"Come on," he said, trying to do chest compressions.

"Stop. It's too late," Jacob gasped.

"What happened?" Josef asked. Mick looked away from his friend.

"I don't think he ever intended to kill me…" Jacob murmured, trying to sit up. Beth didn't believe what she was seeing. She unwrapped Josef's arm from around her neck and bolted. Mick heard her go and stood up, ready to follow her. However, Josef had other plans. He began to sway on his feet and Mick had to steady him.

"I'll call the Cleaner," Jacob muttered, using his still functioning arm to pull out his cell phone. Mick led his friend into the lounge and sat him down. Josef let out a breath, rubbing his head some more.

"He needs some blood, Josef said, nodding his head painfully in Jacob's direction.

"I'm more interested in what happened to you," Mick replied.

"Just get him something to drink. My head's still a little fuzzy," Josef replied, waving his friend away. Mick knew Josef's head was far from foggy. But he didn't question his friend's motives. He grabbed the remaining bottled blood from the fridge and poured it into a glass. He walked past Josef who just nodded.

"Here," he said, offering the glass. Jacob looked at it and shook his head.

"Just drink it. It will help," Mick said.

"I'll be fine," Jacob protested.

"He shot you with a silver bullet. The sooner you get blood in you the sooner you'll heal," Mick replied.

"Stop being a baby and just drink it!" Josef called from the other room. Looking unhappy, Jacob took the glass and downed it. Mick took the empty glass and went to join Josef again.

"So where were you?" Mick asked.

"The kid showed up and knocked me out…your reporter friend was there when I woke up," Josef answered.

"He better not have ruined the carpet," he sighed.

"I'm sure you can buy a new one," Mick said, looking sad.

"So what did I miss?" Josef asked.

"Well…Adrian ranted about how Jacob ruined his life and then lit himself on fire," Mick recapped. He didn't blame Adrian for his anger. He had been furious with Coraline when she had turned him.

"Did she see anything?" Josef asked.

"She knows," Mick muttered, standing up.

"I told you to be careful," Josef scolded.

"And I told her to stay in the car," Mick shot back as he raced down the stairs. He hoped Beth hadn't taken his car. Luckily he still had the keys. He found her in the driver seat, trying to hotwire the engine.

"Beth," he said and she jumped.

"Stay back," she said.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Mick said, taking two steps closer. She tried to move further into the car but was stopped by the parking brake.

"You're the one trying to steal my car," he added, dangling the keys from his hand.

"What…what happened in there because it looked like…you grew fangs…but that's not possible because…vampires aren't real…you said so," Beth rambled.

"I lied," he said.

"You…you did?" she hiccupped.

"I had to. If people start finding out about us…we become extinct very quickly," Mick answered, choosing his words with care.

"This…is crazy. You can't really be a vampire," she murmured.

"I wish that were the case but it's not," Mick replied, offering her a hand. She slowly reached out to take it. He pulled her from the driver seat and caught her as she stumbled forward.

"Come on…I'll take you home," he said. She swallowed a couple times and nodded. He let her go and she walked around the car, climbing into the passenger seat.

"I…I don't even know where to begin…there's so many questions," she muttered.

"Not tonight. I think we both need some sleep. We'll talk in the morning," he said as he pulled up to her apartment complex. She toyed with the door handle for a few minutes.

"Mick…I…" she began. He waited for her to compose herself.

"I…thank you for saving me before," she muttered.

"You already thanked me for that," he said.

"I know…but…it didn't feel like enough,' she said and climbed out. Just as she shut the door, she leaned in through the open window.

"You're secret is safe with me," she whispered before walking away. Mick smiled a little as he headed home. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that Beth knew what he was. As he drove he couldn't help but think about Adrian. He had a point. Jacob couldn't keep him away from the people loved forever. He would be with them in death.


End file.
